Stringed musical instrument



April 5, 1938. c. eucamo STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 30, 1935 INVENTOR M y BY W 0k ATTORNEYS April 5, 1938. c GUGINO 2,113,446

STRINGED MUS ICAL INS TRUMENT Fild Nov. 30, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 U Q. a

q E Q fE w i Q A M e d g "J k x l N VENTOR- M fw ATTORNEYS April 5, 1938. c. GUGINO STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 30, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 m T N m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,113,446 STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Carmelo Gugino, Buffalo, N. Y. Application November 30, 1935, Serial No. 52,371 8 Claims. (01. 84-4393) This invention relates to a stringed instrument sound box exclusively by the bridge which stradand more particularly to a stringed instrument dies the adjacent part of the string carrying of the guitar or mandolin type in which the structure.

construction is composed of a sound box, a neck In the accompanying drawings:

and strings under relatively great tension con- Fig. l is a top plan view of a guitar embodynecting the extremities of the neck and the ing my invention.

sound box. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken With instruments such as guitars or manon line 2-2, Fig. l.

dolins where a relatively large number of strings Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal are employed and where the strings are under a section, taken on line 3--3, Fig. 2.

comparatively high tension, the tension of the Fig. L is a perspective view of the string carry-- strings tends to bend the neck upwardly and to ing element embodying my invention.

distort the sound box. As this occurs the strings Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical gradually move away from the fingerboard and transverse section, taken on line 5-5, Fig. 2.

render the instrument more and more difficult Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a to play since the performer is required to use modified form of my invention.

a great deal more finger pressure in fingering Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken the strings and also is required to move them on line "5-4, Fig. 8 of another modified form of a greater distance to engage the frets of the my invention. fingerboard. The tonal qualities of the instru- Fig. 8 is a top plan View of this modified form. ment are also adversely afiected by the distor Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the string carry tion of the instrument and with the abnormally ing element in the modified form shown in Figs. high strings, of course, it is impossible to finger 7 and 8. the instrument expertly. In addition to this, The invention is shown as embodied in a the accuracy of each individual note played upon guitar. The sound box iii of my invention can the strings is impaired due to the fact that be of any usual and well known form and prefeach string is put under excessive tension and erably comprises an imperforate sounding board its pitch thereby considerably changed when H and side walls l2 connecting this sounding the player moves said string laterally an inboard with the back iii of the sound box. The ordinate distance into contact with the desired sounding board need not be imperforate, how- 3 fret. ever, and can have the usual sound holes. The While different manufacturers attempt to sound opening 14 of the instrument is preferstrengthen the neck so as to avoid this effect ably cut in the back rather than in the soundand some manufacturers also have introduced ing board to improve the tonal qualities of the means for adjustably strengthening the neck to instrument. The sounding board and back of avoid this eiTect, none of these means have been the sound box are preferably crowned in ac-- wholly satisfactory and, moreover, such means cordance with standard practice but it will be have greatly increased the cost of the instrunoted that this sound box is a separate unit and ment. It is the object of this invention to prois unprovided with a neck. vide a musical instrument of the guitar or man- This sound box is inserted in a string supdolin type in which the strings are connected porting structure l5, best illustrated in Fig. i. at their opposite ends to a single member which The member 15 is preferably made of metal and extends the full length of the neck and sound comprises an upper compression bar l6, 2. lower box and to which the sound box is separately tension bar ll, an outer end wall l8 connecting connected, the strings having no direct connecthese bars at their outer ends and a neck 19 4 tion with the sound box and the member carryconnecting these bars at their other ends and ing them being sufficiently rigid to adequately also forming the neck of the instrument. The resist the tendency of the strings to distort the usual fingerboard 20 is mounted upon the neck neck. In the preferred embodiment of the ini9 and the keys 2i adjusting the tension of the vention the sound box is made of a separate unit strings 22 are carried, in the usual manner, and is inserted in a structure which forms the at the extreme end of the neck. The opposite neck of the instrument and also a band comends of the strings 22 are anchored in a cross pletely encircling the sound box, the strings being bar 23 which is connected by small straps 24 secured to opposite ends of this structure and with screws 25 which secure these straps to the being connected with the sounding board of the vertical end wall l8 as best illustrated in Figs.

1 and 2. The screw holes for anchoring the screws extend only part way through the wall I8 and hence are not illustrated in Fig.

The spacing between the tension and compression bars l! and I6 and the wall [8 and the neck I9 is such that the sound box can be inserted in the box-like structure so formed and the sound box is preferably securely held in this inserted position by means of small set screws 26. These set screws 25 bear against a metal plate 28 set into a wooden block 29, this block bearing against the sound box and acting as a spacer or shim and also preventing mutilation of the end wall of the sound box by the set screws 26. The vibrations from the strings are conducted to the sounding board of the sound box by a bridge 2! which supports each of the strings and straddles the compression member it, as best shown in Fig. 5. The bridge 2'? is at all times spaced from the compression member it, although it has been found that contact between the bridge and this compression member does not seriously impair the tonal qualities of the instrument.

With the instrument made as described it will be seen that the longitudinal tension of these strings is taken exclusively by the metal structure forming the neck and sound box embracing portion of the instrument and this structure can, of course, be made sufficiently strong so that the strings cannot bow or distort this structure. Further, since none of the tension of the strings is borne by the sound box, except through the necessary bridge 21, it will be seen that the sound box cannot be distorted by the constant 1ong1tudinal tension of the strings. It will further be seen that the invention adapts itself to restoring distorted guitars to service since if the neck of a guitar has become so bent as to render it unfit for service, the neck can be cut off and the sound box inserted in a string supporting structure made in accordance with my invention.

The invention can also be built into a guitar when it is made, this form of the invention being illustrated in Fig. 6. In this form of the invention the sound box, as in the other form, consists of an imperforate sounding board Ha connected by side walls I211 to the back l 30: which preferably contains the sound opening i401, as in the first form of the invention. The neck No is made of metal and is secured, as by screws 30, with the sound box. The neck structure includes an extension 3! which is in the form of a compression bar extending longitudinally and centrally over the sounding board Ha and is straddled by the bridge 27a in the same manner as the compression member [6 in the first form of the invention. The outer extremity of the compression bar Si is secured, as by screws 32, to the outer end of the sound box. The strings are anchored to the compression bar 3! by means of a cross bar 230: and straps 24a similar to the cross bar and straps 23, 24 in the first form of the invention. The neck I90!v carries a fingerboard 20a and also carries the usual keys 2 la by means of which the tension of the strings 22a is adjusted. As with the other form of the invention it will be seen that the tension of the strings is taken by the compression bar 39 and the neck |9a and that by making these parts sufficiently rigid the tendency of the strings to warp the neck can be completely avoided. By providing a continuous bar from one end of the strings to the other it will also be seen that the strings do not in any way tend to distort the sound box since their only pressure against the Sound b0X is exerted by the 112% sary bridge 21a.

In the modified form \if in Figs. 7-9, a standard wood neck neck being connected to the sound usual manner, either by dovetailih and gluing or by means of screws as shown. The upper side of the wooden neck is provided with a longitudinal groove 36 which receives the longitudinal extension 31 of a compression member Ma. The longitudinal extension 31 fills the groove 36 and is secured therein by means of countersunk screws 38. This compression member extends longitudinally and centrally over the sounding board H b and is straddled by the bridge 21b in the same manner as the compression member 3| of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6. The outer end of the compression bar 3|a is secured, as by screws 32a, to the outer end of the sound box and the strings are anchored by means of a cross bar 23!) and straps 24b in the same manner as in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6. The neck 35 carries a fingerboard 20b and the usual keys 2lb by means of which the tension of the strings 22b is adjusted. This fingerboard is mounted on the neck 35 and over the forward extension 3'! of the compression member 31a. Due to the fingerboard 20b extending back over the sound box, the forward extension is widened as at (Fig. 9) and an opening 4| is formed at this point to reduce the weight of the compression member. In this manner the tension of the strings is taken entirely by the compression bar 3la and its forward extension 35, thereby preventing distortion of the sound box which highly impairs the serviceability of the instrument.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive means for greatly increasing the life of stringed instruments, such as guitars and mandolins, since the strings are prevented from distorting the neck or sound box of the instru" ment and are therefore prevented from moving away from the fret because of such distortion and preventing proper fingering of the instrument.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stringed musical instrument comprising, a sound box, a neck attached to said sound box, a compression bar secured to and extending from the inner end of said neck centrally along the exterior of said sound box and spaced therefrom to a point adjacent the opposite end of said sound box, strings connected at one end to said neck and at their opposite ends to the outer end of said compression bar and a bridge interposed be tween the intermediate portions of said strings and said sound box, said compression bar and neck forming a string carrying structure relieving said sound box of strain therefrom.

2. A stringed musical instrument comprising, a sound box, a metal neck attached to said sound box, a metal compression bar secured to and extending from the inner end of said neck to a point adjacent the opposite end of said sound box, strings connected at one end to neck and at their opposite ends to the outer end of said com-- pression bar and a bridge interposed between the intermediate portions of said strings and said sound box, said compression bar and neck forming a string carrying structure relieving said sound box of strain therefrom.

3. A stringed musical instrument comprising, a sound box, a wooden neck secured to said sound box, a metal member extending along and reinthe invention, shown forcing said wooden neck and secured thereto, a compression bar secured to and forming a continuation of said reinforcing member and extending to a point adjacent the opposite end of said sound box, strings connected at one end to the reinforced neck and at their opposite ends to the outer end of said compression bar and a bridge interposed between the intermediate portions of said strings and said sound box, said compression bar and neck forming a string carrying structure relieving said sound box of strain therefrom.

4. A stringed musical instrument comprising, a sound box, a wooden neck secured to said sound box, a metal member extending along and reinforcing said wooden neck and secured thereto, a compression bar secured to and forming a continuation of said neck and extending centrally along the exterior of said sound box in spaced relation thereto to a point adjacent the opposite end of said sound box, strings connected at one end to the reinforced neck and at their opposite ends to the outer end of said compression bar and a bridge interposed between the intermediate portions of said strings and said sound box and bridging said compression bar, said compression bar and neck forming a string carrying structure relieving said sound box of strain therefrom.

5. A stringed musical instrument comprising, a sound box, a wooden neck secured to said sound box, a metal member extending along and reinforcing said wooden neck and secured thereto, a compression bar secured to and forming a continuation of said reinforcing member and extending centrally along the exterior of said sound box in spaced relation thereto to a point adjacent the opposite end of said sound box, means connecting the outer end of said compression bar with said opposite end of said sound box, strings connected at one end to the reinforced neck and at their opposite ends to the outer end of said compression bar and a bridge interposed between the intermediate portions of said strings and said sound box and bridging said compression bar, said compression bar and neck forming a string carrying structure relieving said sound box of strain therefrom.

6. A stringed musical instrument comprising, a sound box, a wooden neck secured to said sound box, a metal member extending along and reinforcing said wooden neck and secured thereto, a compression bar integral with and forming a continuation of said reinforcing member and extending to a point adjacent the opposite end of said sound box, strings connected at one end to the reinforced neck and at their opposite ends to the outer end of said compression bar and a bridge interposed between the intermediate portions of said strings and said sound box, said compression bar and neck forming a string carrying structure relieving said sound box of strain therefrom.

'7. A stringed musical instrument comprising a sound box, an open sided generally rectangular frame centrally encompassing said sound box parallel with the major axis of the instrument and comprising an upper compression bar extending along the exterior of the sound board of said sound box and spaced therefrom, a lower bar extending under said sound box and vertical end pieces connecting said upper and lower bars, a neck extending outwardly from said frame and forming a continuation of said compression bar, strings connected at one end to said neck and at their opposite ends to the opposite extremity of said compression bar, a bridge interposed between the intermediate portions of said strings and said sound box and means for retaining said sound box in said frame.

8. A stringed musical instrument comprising a sound box, an open sided generally rectangular unitary metal frame centrally encompassing said sound box parallel with the major axis of the in strument and comprising an upper compression bar extending along the exterior of the sound board of said sound box and spaced therefrom, a lower bar extending under said sound box and vertical end pieces connecting said upper and lower bars, a neck extending outwardly from said frame and forming a continuation of said compression bar, strings connected at one end to said neck and at their opposite ends to the opposite extremity of said compression bar, a bridge interposed between the intermediate portions of said strings and said sound box and means for retaining said sound box in said frame.

CARMELO GUGINO. 

